If Phoebe had been more moderate in her doubleheaded treachery, Miss Panney might have been much disturbed by her news, but the story she had heard was so preposterous that she really believed that the lazy colored woman had not gone to Cobhurst, and by the time she reached the Bannister house her mind was cleared for the reception of fresh impressions.

She was fortunate enough to find Dora alone, and as soon as it was prudent she asked her what news she had heard from Cobhurst.  Dora was looking her loveliest in an early autumn costume, and answered that she had heard nothing at all, which surprised Miss Panney very much, for she had expected that Miriam would have been to see Dora before this time.

“Common politeness would dictate that,” said Miss Panney, “but I expect that that child is so elated and excited by getting back to the head of her household that everything else has slipped out of her mind.  But if you two are such close friends, I don’t think you ought to mind that sort of thing.  If I were you, I would go out and see her.  Eccentric people must be humored.”

“They needn’t expect that from me,” said Dora, a little sharply.  “If Miriam lived there by herself, I might go; but as it is, I shall not.  It is their duty to come here, and I shall not go there until they do.”

Miss Panney drummed upon the table, but otherwise did not show her impatience.

“We can never live the life we ought in this world, my dear,” she said, “if we allow our sensitive fancies to interfere with the advancement of our interests.”

“Miss Panney,” cried Dora, sitting upright in her chair, “do you mean that I ought to go out there, and try to catch Ralph Haverley, no matter how they treat me?”

“Yes,” said Miss Panney, leaning back in her chair, “that is exactly what I mean.  There is no use of our mincing matters, and as I hold that it is the duty of every young woman to get herself well married, I think it is your duty to marry Mr. Haverley if you can.  You will never meet a man better suited to you, and who can use your money with as much advantage to yourself.  I do not mean that you should go and make love to him, or anything of that sort.  I simply mean that you should allow him to expose himself to your influences.”

“I shall do nothing of the kind!” cried Dora, her face in a flush; “if he wants that sort of exposure, let him come here.  I don’t know whether I want him to come or not.  I am too young to be thinking of marrying anybody, and though I don’t want to be disrespectful to you, Miss Panney, I will say that I am getting dreadfully tired of your continual harping about Ralph Haverley, and trying to make me push myself in front of him so that his lordship may look at me.  If he had been at Barport, or there had been any chance of his coming there, I should have suspected that you went there for the express purpose of keeping us up to the work of becoming attached to each other.  And I say plainly that I shall have no more to do with exerting influence on him, through his sister or in any other way.  There are thousands of other men just as good as he is, and if I have not met any of them yet, I have no doubt I shall do so.”